Crown Princess or Westerdam R/T Seattle>

[Cravester78]

We've settled that we are going R/T Seattle either via the Crown Princess or Westerdam. Both itineraries include Glacier Bay, Juneau, and Ketchikan. The Westerdam includes Sitka and the Crown Princess Skagway. Hows in port are pretty similar. I am looking for some advice on which ship you would choose and why? We would be happy with both itineraries so looking for advice on food, balcony rooms, entertainment, public areas for viewing, etc. Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I am only a few days into planning and already overwhelmed with options! :eek:

[geoherb]

We generally sail on Princess unless there's a much better deal on Holland America. We've enjoyed both of our cruises on the Westerdam as well as our cruise on the Crown and the Crown's sister ships (Ruby and Emerald).

 

Food and service are comparable. Princess has more variety of activities and evening entertainment.

[Suzanne123]

I've done both ships and itineraries (Westerdam last year, Crown again his year). Loved them both and would do either again. That said, something to think about -- Sitka requires a tender. You have to go to a lounge to pick up tickets and unless you are in a suite or on one of the ship's excursions, it could take awhile to get to shore. On the way back, we stood in line for almost a hour to catch a tender back to the ship.

However, I really like Sitka better than Skagway. (Loved the animals in Sitka -- Couldn't pay me to go back on that railroad)

The Crown does have that nice International Cafe, but I think most of the HAL ships feel a little more like you are on the ocean and not in a hotel. Prefer HAL's food, except that Princess has some of the best desserts of any cruise line. Then there's that HAL bread pudding that I could live on...

Oh I don't know. Pick one. You can't go wrong. :)

[agabbymama]

I'd be careful of the R/T Seattle. Are you aware you will be sailing outside Vancouver Island IN THE OPEN PACIFIC? You could be in for a rough ride.

If you suffer motion sickness at all, that might not be the best choice.

 

That said, I prefer HAL, but then I'm an older lady and I prefer the ambiance, wood and elegance of HAL. My only experience with Princess was the Med on the Grand Princess and she was way too big for us. We made the trek to the forward showroom exactly ONCE.

 

I prefer Sitka as a port even though it is a tender port. It has a lot of Russian History, the Raptor Center, and it is the first spot the US flag was raised in Alaska. It's more quaint and traditional than Skagway (JMHO).

 

Only you can decide which is the best fit for you. Start a graph chart with the ship across the top, then down the side the things of importance to you (size of ship, ports, time in ports, cabin, cost, excursions, etc). Go to the various Ports websites, check out the excursions available on each ship, etc. As you research put an "X" in the conjoining box. As you near the end of your research, one should have more x's than the other.

 

Enjoy planning, then taking your trip to Alaska, it is an awesome destination!

[cruisevers]

Sitka is not necessaryily a tender port. We were on the Westerdam last week and we docked as did the cruise before us. I liked Sitka better than Skagway as it was not as touristy imo. We enjoyed our cruise and there was all ages on board, food was great and stayed on our balcony almost any time the ship was underway looking for wildlife and saw everything from whales to Eagles from there! I like smaller ships as you are not fighting with thousands to embark and debark when in port thus wasting time, or for space on deck to view glaciers etc.

[sboston06]

We just got home from the Westerdam today and docked in Sitka. It was about a 10minute shuttle ride to downtown. I have never cruised with Princess so I can't compare and contrast but I would definitely sail with HAL again. We loved everything about our cruise! Sitka was a great port. We chartered a fishing boat and had a great time, but if we went to Sitka again, my uncle said the Raptor center was amazing!